Utus River

After the Eastern Roman Empire stopped its tribute to the Huns around the year 444 AD, Attila’s army again invaded the Balkan regions of the Eastern Empire. Unfortunately, many veteran Byzantine formations had been withdrawn to counter the Vandal threat …

447

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After the Eastern Roman Empire stopped its tribute to the Huns around the year 444 AD, Attila’s army again invaded the Balkan regions of the Eastern Empire. Unfortunately, many veteran Byzantine formations had been withdrawn to counter the Vandal threat in Sicily. The only Roman force readily available was under the command of Arnegisclus, but it did contain sizeable contingents of Heavy Cavalry and mounted archers. The Roman army that moved westwards to engage the Hunnic army in the Roman province of Dacia Ripensis, was most likely a combined force of about 25,000. Attila’s raiding army was perhaps of similar size. The details about Attila’s raid, which culminated in the battle of Utus, as well as the events afterwards, are very obscure. history records that the Romans were defeated, but it seems that losses were severe for both sides. Arnegisclus’ horse was killed and he fought bravely on foot until he was cut down. The battle of Utus in 447 AD was the last of a series of bloody pitched battles between the Eastern Roman Empire and the Huns. Losses were heavy enough that Attila continued raiding south with only a small force of Hun cavalry until stopped at Thermopylae. Peace was again restored when a treaty was signed a year later in 448 AD in which the Eastern Roman Empire agreed to again pay Attila a large annual tribute. The Byzantines quickly rebuilt their armies, and Attila did not threaten the Balkans again, looking instead toward the weaker Western Roman Empire.

Vit River, Bulgaria

The Battle of the Utus was fought in 447 between the army of the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire, and the Huns led by Attila at what is today the Vit River in Bulgaria. It was the last of the bloody pitched battles between the Eastern Roman Empire and the Huns, as the former attempted to stave off the Hunnic invasion.

Wikipedia: Battle of the Utus

Huns

Romans